Former French Market director charged with theft

The Orleans Parish District Attorney's office has charged former French Market Corp. director Kenneth Ferdinand with one count of felony theft, prosecutors said this morning.

Kenneth Ferdinand, former French Market Corp. executive director, has been charge by the Orleans Parish District Attorney with one count of felony theft.

Records show the charge was filed June 14 in a bill of information. The DA's office made no announcement about the charge at the time, but Graymond Martin, first assistant to DA Leon Cannizzaro, told reporters about it this morning.

Ferdinand resigned last July in the wake of allegations that he had been misusing the city agency's credit card, mainly on restaurant and bar tabs. Members of the board that oversees the market also had questions about Ferdinand's management style.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu referred the matter to the Office of Inspector General for investigation. He also asked most of the members of the French Market board to resign and appointed new members. The board hired a new director, Frank Pizzolato.

It was the old board that discovered the questionable credit-card expenses. At the time he resigned, Ferdinand agreed to repay the agency $5,000, although questions reportedly had been raised about as much as $20,000 in expenditures. It is unclear whether he ever repaid the agency, as he said he would.

The nonprofit French Market Corp. oversees operations of the city-owned French Market, which dates back to 1791 and bills itself as America's oldest public market. Its tenants include food and other shops, restaurants, a farmers market and a flea market. The market's staff also manages the city-owned Upper Pontalba Building on St. Peter Street facing Jackson Square. The building contains apartments and first-floor stores.

Ferdinand submitted his written resignation July 29. But his alleged misspending was not turned over to Quatrevaux's office until Sept. 30, when the allegations were first reported in the news media.

Quatrevaux released an audit of the agency this month, which identified several problems with its credit card and expense reimbursement policies, but did not mention Ferdinand or the specific allegations against him.